Government Impostor Scams Are on the Rise

3.  You qualify for a government grant. Criminals will offer grants over social media in exchange for some personal details and sometimes a fee. Remember that the federal government provides grants to schools, nonprofits and small businesses but not to individuals. And the application process is lengthy and complex — not a simple form filled out over social media.

Learn more about government grant scams.

4.  You have unpaid taxes. The scammer, posing as someone from the Internal Revenue Service, says a warrant is out for your arrest due to unpaid taxes. They’ll offer to help you resolve the issue quickly if you pay immediately.

Learn more about tax-related scams.

5.  You missed jury duty. A scammer will claim that you neglected your civic duty by failing to show up for jury duty when required. As with the tax scam above, they’ll say that to avoid arrest, you can pay a fine.  

Learn more about jury duty scams.

6. You qualify for special Medicare benefits. Callers claiming to represent your health care provider or Medicare will say that you need a new card, your benefits have been frozen or that you qualify for equipment such as a knee brace.

Learn more about Medicare scams.

7.  There’s an issue with your Social Security benefits. Phony texts, emails or calls may claim to be stopping your benefits unless you reply, or may say you have unclaimed benefits. Either way, you’re not really communicating with a real Social Security representative. If you are concerned that the problem may be legitimate, go to your Social Security account online or call the Social Security Administration directly at 800-772-1213.

Learn more about Social Security scams.

8.  They can help you get a Real ID. As of May 2025, Americans need a Real ID driver’s license to fly. Scammers take advantage of this need to upgrade your license by posing as someone from your local department of motor vehicles or the Department of Homeland Security and offering to expedite the process for a fee.

Learn more about Real ID scams.

9. There are problems with your mail. You get a text notifying you that there has been an issue with the delivery of a package. The link in the text will lead you to a bogus site.

Learn more about delivery scams.

10. You failed to pay a toll. This common scam comes in the form of a text requesting payment for a road toll. If you click on the link, you’ll be taken to a fake site to pay. 

Learn more about road toll scams.

Know how the government works

Agencies will not call and ask for personal information. The federal government will not call you unsolicited and ask for personal information. The agencies already have details like your Medicare and Social Security numbers.

They typically begin communication with letters through the postal service. Any important communications from the federal government usually comes via the U.S. Postal Service, not through social media, text or email.

Individuals don’t qualify for government grants. The government won’t reach out to offer you a federal grant. Grants require a lengthy application process, and they are always for a specific purpose.

Officials will not ask for money over the phone. No government office will ask you for an upfront payment before sending you a benefit, grant or refund.

Agencies won’t take payments in prepaid gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.

The government won’t suspend benefits from Social Security or Medicare because someone else misused your identification. Federal law enforcement agents also won’t bully you into revealing personal information such as your bank account number.